Silk Launches Initiative with the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to Examine Food Industry Challenges for Meeting Future Food Needs

Published 1:46 PM ET Tue, 3 May 2016
Globe Newswire

BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silk®, the leading U.S. plant-based food and beverages brand, today announced a year-long sponsored research initiative with the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHGE) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to research differences in how food companies, academics, industry leaders and the general public perceive the challenges facing the food industry and its attempts to feed the world healthfully and sustainably.

“It is estimated that the world will require 70 percent more food to feed a global population of 9.6 billion by 2050, and to meet the needs of this growing population, it’s clear that we need to change the way we produce, distribute and eat food,” said Craig Shiesley, president of plant-based foods and beverages for Silk. “It’s our hope that the Center for Health and the Global Environment’s research findings will create meaningful dialogue among key stakeholders in the food industry and help consumers make choices that are better for their health and the planet. We also anticipate that the research findings could inform the direction of our business moving forward.”

“We are thrilled to engage in this research that directly extends from our Center’s mission as it seeks to better understand opportunities to provide for a more nutritious, sustainable, and equitable food supply,” said Aaron Bernstein, MD, MPH, Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard School of Public Health.

The research will focus on the three key areas: environmental sustainability, transparency, and health and wellness, and will:

Examine to what extent companies are committed to ensuring their business operations and supply chains minimize environmental impact.

Consider to what extent companies are communicating openly and clearly about the journey of food from farm to table and the ingredients in their products so consumers know what they are buying and eating.

Evaluate how committed packaged food and beverage companies are to providing products that reflect public health concerns and to making these healthier options more desirable, affordable and accessible.

Separately, Silk, with input from CHGE, intends to survey U.S. consumers about their attitudes and behaviors regarding plant-based diets and the impact that food choices have on the environment, to identify gaps in perception between consumers and food industry stakeholders.

The research results will be used as a springboard for convening leaders across academia, the NGO community and the private sector at a summit hosted by CHGE, where the group will discuss real ways and actions to help bridge those gaps – to innovate, together, to drive change.

“Silk is committed to leading this movement to change the trajectory of the global food supply by driving greater reach and scale of plant-based foods, which we believe can make a positive impact on health and the planet,” said Shiesley. “But we can’t do it alone. We encourage consumers, experts, and like-minded companies to join us in dialogue and in action to feed the world healthfully and sustainably by 2050.”

To learn more about the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, visit http://www.chgeharvard.org/.

ABOUT SILK

Silk was founded in 1996 on a promise to make the world a healthier place. As a steward of the environment, we believe that plant-based foods are the best way to nourish people and the planet. Today we offer a broad portfolio of nutritious, great-tasting plant-based options, including soymilk, almondmilk, cashewmilk, coconutmilk and dairy-free yogurt alternatives. Silk’s entire plant-based portfolio is enrolled in or verified by the Non-GMO Project, and Silk continues to offer three core organic products including Original, Vanilla and Unsweetened. In 2015, we were able to offset 100 percent of our manufacturing water footprint with water restoration certificates. For more information, visit Silk.com.